Statement from Center for Employment Opportunities on House’s Farm Bill Text

Contact:

Claire Gross, Sr. Manager of Public Relations 

cgross@ceoworks.org | (646) 370-8292

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Washington, D.C.–February 19, 2026– On Friday February 13th, The United States House of Representatives Agriculture Committee released text for re-authorization of the farm bill. The following is a statement from Sam Schaeffer, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO):

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“I am concerned and disappointed by the recently released farm bill text from the House Agriculture Committee. Food insecurity is devouring the country leaving millions of children and families without food on the table. The current draft does not adequately address rising rates of food instability or support states as they navigate challenges created by last year’s budget reconciliation bill, H.R.1, nor does it incorporate broadly supported bipartisan measures that would strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T).

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Both the Training Nutrition and Stability Act (TNSA) and the RESTORE Act were excluded from the text, threatening access to workforce development opportunities and food security.

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What began as an unintended consequence in the construction of the 2018 Farm Bill, has become a choice to keep people from working. People who participate in SNAP E&T will continue to be shoved off of SNAP food benefits simply because they are enrolled in a federally-supported employment program, such as CEO’s. 

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At any given time, around 60% of people returning from incarceration experience joblessness. Constant discrimination against applicants with criminal records leaves few doors open. Often, the only path to long-term employment is through subsidized work such as SNAP E&T programs.

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People supported by SNAP E&T become construction workers, IT specialists, union members, commercial truck drivers, and other kinds of skilled workers filling major labor gaps. Paid training serves as a pipeline to fruitful careers that lead people off subsidized work and into a life of self sufficiency. 

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We can’t improve public safety without investing in economic mobility. The RESTORE Act lifts the lifetime ban from SNAP for people with drug felony convictions and eliminates complex verification processes that contribute to administrative burden and potential errors.

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We call upon the House and Senate to develop a truly bipartisan farm bill that protects and expands access to food security. This should be a farm bill that celebrates the dignity of work and opens doors to economic opportunity.”‍

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BACKGROUND

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In December 2024, CEO and over 50 anti-poverty, agriculture, employment training, food security, reentry and civil rights organizations from across the country formed the “We Can’t Wait” coalition. The coalition recognizes that the farm bill holds many of the most pressing issues facing Americans today and urges Congress to pass a bipartisan, comprehensive farm bill that protects and expands access to food security. The “We Can’t Wait” coalition will continue to be a driving voice in farm bill reauthorization conversations unified in its call for a farm bill that addresses challenges facing people from all walks of life.

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CEO has been a leading advocate on two groundbreaking pieces of bipartisan legislation in the farm bill:

• Training and Nutrition Stability Act (TNSA) (H.R.2974 and S.1789) is a bipartisan fix supported by over 150 organizations nationwide that would ensure people enrolled in workforce development programs would maintain their food security as they complete training.
  
  • Six months after enrollment in CEO’s program, participants’ median and average total quarterly earnings sustained or grew by 123% and 100% respectively. Without TNSA, this avenue of support becomes a catch-22 threatening the food security for individuals and their families.
• The RESTORE Act (H.R.3479 and S.1753) which allows SNAP eligibility for people with past drug convictions. 
  
  •  The lifetime SNAP ban for people with drug felony convictions increased the risk of arrest by 32% for up to five years post-conviction.

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In April, Sam Schaeffer and CEO Senior Site Supervisor William Lewis, testified before the House Committee on Agriculture to explain the efficacy of voluntary and paid workforce development training and the importance of protecting access to SNAP food assistance. Independent evaluations show that CEO participants are 48% more likely to be employed three years after release from incarceration and participants who combine transitional employment with advanced credentials like commercial driver’s licenses experience a 30% increase in post-program earnings.

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About the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration. CEO currently operates in over 30 cities across 12 states and is dedicated to ensuring that justice-impacted individuals have opportunities to achieve socioeconomic mobility. For more information, visit ceoworks.org.